Applicants may apply for nondegree seeking status through The Graduate School or through the School of Continuing Studies.  Before applying for nondegree seeking status, please familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations of each status listed below.

The Graduate School's Nondegree Special Student status (possible transfer of credits to The Graduate School)

Applicants for Nondegree Special Student status within The Graduate School must meet the admission requirements and standards that apply to applicants of regular degree programs.  If you are granted Nondegree Special Student status, you may register for graduate courses with the permission of the course instructor and your program chair.  Your enrollment as a Nondegree Special Student does not constitute admission to any degree program in The Graduate School.  Courses taken as a Nondegree Special Student may be accepted to satisfy graduate degree or residency requirements if approved by The Graduate School and your admitting program.  In no case will residency credit in a nondegree program be granted for more than the equivalent of one full quarter of work taken as a Nondegree Special Student.

Current Nondegree Special Students who wish to be considered for transfer to a degree program should not use the standard application for admission. Instead, they must complete the Request for Admission to a Degree Program form and submit it to The Graduate School no later than four weeks before the start of the next term.

The School of Continuing Studies' Office of Special Students (may not transfer credits to The Graduate School)

Students may, with permission, enroll in graduate courses at Northwestern and earn credits that might be transferred to degree programs in other institutions. However, no part of such work will be accepted toward later work in any program in The Graduate School.  Admission for this category of special student is administered through the Office of Special Students, entirely outside The Graduate School.  If you are interested in this form of study, including attending classes during Summer Session, you should NOT use the standard application for admission. Inquiries should be directed to the School of Continuing Studies, Office of Special Students, Northwestern University, 405 Church Street, Evanston, Illinois 60208-2650; telephone 847-491-5612, Web site http://www.scs.northwestern.edu/ugrad/nondegree/.